Superb morning ....

25th March 2017 (Saturday) .... 07.30   It is absolutely gorgeous at “The Centre of The Universe” this morning:   sunny and warm with a light breeze from the

Elie sunrise.

West:   a perfect ‘drying day .... and ... my washing is on the line.   I’ve been down on the beach to watch the sunrise;  it was superb, and I felt the warmth of the sun as soon as it appeared above The Toft:  I might need the sun cream later.

I’m organised for the ‘Troops’... well I was doing fine, until I sat down at the computer.    Not that I’m doing much but it’s a good day for doing the lobby floors, ... that is the next task.... that and a run roond wi’ the ‘oover;  somebody came in from the beach with sand on their shoes!

21.00    What glorious weather we’ve had today .... it was 17c in Ivy garden at one point!    The ‘Troops’ arrived about 11.00 and wanted to go down to the beach before having lunch.    Iain had just got here when he spotted a butterfly flying over Ivy

My first butterfly sighting of the year - a Peacock on Balcarres estate.

garden but wasn’t sure what species.

   ‘Jackie’ had brought everything needed for a picnic lunch, which we had sitting outside at the garden table.... it was that kind of day!   After lunch we went up to Balcarres, parking up at the North lodge and walking down to the ‘sawmill’.

On the way down to the sawmill we came across three or four Peacock butterflies, not enough to call a ‘kaleidoscope’, which is the name for a ‘swarm’ of butterflies.... but there were a were fair number of them out.    Having been hibernating over the winter they are not as bright as the ‘fresh hatched’ ones we’ll see later in the summer.    The fact that they were about, did suggest that the one Iain saw at Ivy was also a Peacock.

  

Just down from the Deil’s Lodge we came across Shona’s car, and eventually Shona, who, like us, was out enjoying the ‘summer like’ sunshine.    We all wandered down to

The 'Troops' playing 'Pooh' sticks.

the sawmill then blethered our way back up to North Lodge.

The Troops left for home about 18.30... after a really enjoyable day.    They couldn’t have picked a better day for coming down... it has been perfect;  in my face feel slightly sun-burnt!

Photographs : Top – Sunrise, Middle – Peacock butterfly (Balcarres estate), and, Bottom – Catriona, Martin and ‘Mummy’ (Jackie) playing ‘Pooh sticks’.